Effectively working from home

[DM77]

How do many of you manage to work from home? Do you subscribe to certain lead programs? If you're licensed in several states, how did you choose those states? Also how are you marketing yourself--door knocking?...cold calls (YUCK!!)?...advertising?

I'd like to transition myself from being a full-time office assistant (and having only 5 minutes to build my book of business) to working only 1/2 time at the office and then coming home to work on my own production. I'm in a situation where my 2 bosses (you thought having 1 was bad!) depend on me to do EVERYTHING for them. Seriously...if I'm gone, things don't get done. The pressure is awful. I put up with it because I need the paycheck to pay bills. The interesting part is that I'm their employee as an assistant but to the B/D I'm contracted as an independent rep. They currently share in my commissions so it's not as if they don't get anything from my production.

I'm finding that the only way I can do this is to decrease my time in the office because if I'm there, they're always asking for something. I've already tried working in the office and doing my own stuff. By removing myself they'll become less dependent on me and more dependent on themselves and the other office assistant.

So, what are some things I should do now to start getting things in my pipeline? I've tried online lead programs but here in MT, I don't get enough to stay busy...plus I spent way too much time weeding out the bad ones. I'm open to getting licensed in other states as long as I can do the business via phone/internet.
Again, my lines are life, disability, LTCi, health (thru Assurant) and med supps (Mutual of Omaha).

Thanks!

 

[xrac]

How do many of you manage to work from home? Do you subscribe to certain lead programs? If you're licensed in several states, how did you choose those states? Also how are you marketing yourself--door knocking?...cold calls (YUCK!!)?...advertising?

I'd like to transition myself from being a full-time office assistant (and having only 5 minutes to build my book of business) to working only 1/2 time at the office and then coming home to work on my own production. I'm in a situation where my 2 bosses (you thought having 1 was bad!) depend on me to do EVERYTHING for them. Seriously...if I'm gone, things don't get done. The pressure is awful. I put up with it because I need the paycheck to pay bills. The interesting part is that I'm their employee as an assistant but to the B/D I'm contracted as an independent rep. They currently share in my commissions so it's not as if they don't get anything from my production.

I'm finding that the only way I can do this is to decrease my time in the office because if I'm there, they're always asking for something. I've already tried working in the office and doing my own stuff. By removing myself they'll become less dependent on me and more dependent on themselves and the other office assistant.

So, what are some things I should do now to start getting things in my pipeline? I've tried online lead programs but here in MT, I don't get enough to stay busy...plus I spent way too much time weeding out the bad ones. I'm open to getting licensed in other states as long as I can do the business via phone/internet.
Again, my lines are life, disability, LTCi, health (thru Assurant) and med supps (Mutual of Omaha). Thanks!

I would work on referrals from the people I have already worked with and would probably use some direct mail for leads.

 

[somarco]

my lines are life, disability, LTCi, health (thru Assurant) and med supps (Mutual of Omaha).

Sounds like you are spreading yourself thin.

It is very difficult for most agents to work one line effectively, much less 5. You most likely will come across more of a generalist than a specialist. If that works for you, great. Otherwise you might want to pick one line where you feel passionate and focus on that.

If you do that, you will probably be more effective, and successsful, and appear more like a pro and less like a peddler.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

There's a great Italian restaurant right down the road. Man, if they would only add Chinese food to their menu just imagine how packed they'd be.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

There's a great Italian restaurant right down the road. Man, if they would only add Chinese food to their menu just imagine how packed they'd be.

Boy, did that give me a chuckle.

One of the best funky little Cuban restaurants here in Tampa (awesome Ropa Vieja!) called Arco-Iris - also has Chinese food.

After you click the link, scroll down to see the sign:

FloridaFoodHound: La Teresita & Arco-Iris: Top Notch, No Frills Cuban

 

[arnguy]

I think somewhere in Philly there is a Kosher Chinese Restaurant. Huh?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Here in Beruit, there is a Shiite/Sunni/Jewish/Maronite tennis club.

Some of the doubles matches are very interesting.

 

[patch36]

These guys are just having fun with you, but their point is valid, sort of.

So. Is the answer to market a niche until it finds you, or to market until you find a niche? Its not always so simple to choose a niche market when you are starting out. There is nothing wrong with exploring a lot of different areas until one sticks out as an obvious place to concentrate.

Very few folks market just one line or specialize totally on one small segment of the market. I spend 99 pct of my time on the Senior Market, and I sell Medicare Sups, Medicare Advantage, Final Expense, Single Premium Life, Fixed and Indexed Deferred Annuities, Single Premium Annuities, Long Term Care and Eggrolls.

I have my P&C licenses and securities licenses but you would have to torture me to sell an auto policy or a variable annuity.



Danielle,

Think about going independent. Sounds like your employers are making plenty of money off of you. Figure out how you can market and survive a few months and get appt with a couple companies you aren't with at work. Approach a Medicare Advantage company directly and see if you can get a deal where they provide leads and you market only that Med Advantage Plan. Unless the pay structure changes you would be self sufficent as soon as Nov 15 gets here.

I don't know what your bosses pay you, but if you are as ambitious as you sound you can make a lot more knocking on doors and calling than what you make now. I'd hire you, but you would eventually figure out you don't need me...

 

[telechic]

These guys are just having fun with you, but their point is valid, sort of.

So. Is the answer to market a niche until it finds you, or to market until you find a niche? Its not always so simple to choose a niche market when you are starting out. There is nothing wrong with exploring a lot of different areas until one sticks out as an obvious place to concentrate.

Very few folks market just one line or specialize totally on one small segment of the market. I spend 99 pct of my time on the Senior Market, and I sell Medicare Sups, Medicare Advantage, Final Expense, Single Premium Life, Fixed and Indexed Deferred Annuities, Single Premium Annuities, Long Term Care and Eggrolls.

I have my P&C licenses and securities licenses but you would have to torture me to sell an auto policy or a variable annuity.



Danielle,

Think about going independent. Sounds like your employers are making plenty of money off of you. Figure out how you can market and survive a few months and get appt with a couple companies you aren't with at work. Approach a Medicare Advantage company directly and see if you can get a deal where they provide leads and you market only that Med Advantage Plan. Unless the pay structure changes you would be self sufficent as soon as Nov 15 gets here.

I don't know what your bosses pay you, but if you are as ambitious as you sound you can make a lot more knocking on doors and calling than what you make now. I'd hire you, but you would eventually figure out you don't need me...

Chuck, how does one find a Medicare Advantage company though? Are there companies that solely just market the Medicare Advantage Plan or just Medicare Supps and the related? I am solely interested in just the Senior Market and that is what I am confused on at this point. I am trying to do all the research I possibly can so that I can be successful in that specific area. What companies would you recommend looking into that only deal with the Senior Market? TIA

 

[DM77]

These guys are just having fun with you, but their point is valid, sort of.

So. Is the answer to market a niche until it finds you, or to market until you find a niche? Its not always so simple to choose a niche market when you are starting out. There is nothing wrong with exploring a lot of different areas until one sticks out as an obvious place to concentrate.

Very few folks market just one line or specialize totally on one small segment of the market. I spend 99 pct of my time on the Senior Market, and I sell Medicare Sups, Medicare Advantage, Final Expense, Single Premium Life, Fixed and Indexed Deferred Annuities, Single Premium Annuities, Long Term Care and Eggrolls.

I have my P&C licenses and securities licenses but you would have to torture me to sell an auto policy or a variable annuity.



Danielle,

Think about going independent. Sounds like your employers are making plenty of money off of you. Figure out how you can market and survive a few months and get appt with a couple companies you aren't with at work. Approach a Medicare Advantage company directly and see if you can get a deal where they provide leads and you market only that Med Advantage Plan. Unless the pay structure changes you would be self sufficent as soon as Nov 15 gets here.

I don't know what your bosses pay you, but if you are as ambitious as you sound you can make a lot more knocking on doors and calling than what you make now. I'd hire you, but you would eventually figure out you don't need me...

Thank you..I was tired of the restaurant jokes yet wondered if they've been to a food court in the mall before. There are options because people want options and one size does not fit all.
Here's my background...I started out in the insurance world in 2001 trying to sell Med Supps with UA. I got crap leads from my unit manager (of course...he kept the good ones for himself) Going door to door seemed a waste of time...how do you know who's in the market for med supps or not? So I expanded...I went to Liberty National (okay--please don't laugh). I did that because I already had the supplements figured out and wanted to have other types of insurance to offer so if I did get the guts to start door knocking I knew I had something to talk about when the person answered the door. Then after 9/11 my husband laid off and we moved from GA back to MT. And here I am...

Through my B/D I have lots of options and I'm as independent as I can get with being Series 7/66--sorry, don't want handle the compliance crap/FINRA on my own. The 15% my B/D gets is well worth what I get from them.

I understand that I need to focus. However, I'm trying to decide what to focus on. I have knowledge and training in a lot of areas and each person and family has different needs and desires. I'm afraid that if I focus on one or two things, I'll pick the wrong ones and lose out. I'd really like to focus on disability insurance but I'm not sure where to begin. I considered focusing on medical community. I don't know if just doing disability insurance is enough to make a living on. I don't see anybody else specializing in DI--is there a reason for that?